Tom Loeffler
Encyclopedia
Thomas Gilbert Loeffler (born August 1, 1946) is a former Republican
member of the United States House of Representatives
from central Texas
. He was an advisor and fundraiser to the 2008 presidential campaign of U.S. Senator John McCain
of Arizona
until resigning on May 19, 2008 .
Loeffler was born in Fredericksburg
in the heart of the Texas Hill Country
and attended school in Mason
, the seat of Mason County
. He earned B.B.A. and a Juris Doctor
degrees from the University of Texas at Austin
. In 1971, after just one year of private practice, he was hired by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Republican Senator John Tower
made Loeffler his chief counsel in 1972. Two years later, he became a deputy for the Department of Energy
.
Loeffler was a legislative assistant to U.S. President Gerald Ford
from 1975 to 1977. He successfully ran for Congress in 1978 and was a delegate to all three Republican National Conventions in the 1980s. After four terms in the House, he stepped down to run for governor of Texas, but lost a hardfought Republican primary to eventual winner Bill Clements
. Another losing contender was former U.S. Representative Kent Hance
, who had defeated George W. Bush
for Congress in 1978 in the Lubbock
-based district. After his congressional career, Loeffler was appointed to the Office of Legislative Affairs as the coordinator for Central America
n policies.
In 1989, Loeffler became a University of Texas administrator. Loeffler currently works in Washington, D.C as a lobbyist with Gray Loeffler LLC representing clients including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Like Loeffler, Clements also is active in the McCain presidential campaign.
Loeffler is the father of current Minnesota Vikings
and former University of Texas long snapper
Cullen Loeffler
.
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the United States House of Representatives
United States House of Representatives
The United States House of Representatives is one of the two Houses of the United States Congress, the bicameral legislature which also includes the Senate.The composition and powers of the House are established in Article One of the Constitution...
from central Texas
Texas
Texas is the second largest U.S. state by both area and population, and the largest state by area in the contiguous United States.The name, based on the Caddo word "Tejas" meaning "friends" or "allies", was applied by the Spanish to the Caddo themselves and to the region of their settlement in...
. He was an advisor and fundraiser to the 2008 presidential campaign of U.S. Senator John McCain
John McCain
John Sidney McCain III is the senior United States Senator from Arizona. He was the Republican nominee for president in the 2008 United States election....
of Arizona
Arizona
Arizona ; is a state located in the southwestern region of the United States. It is also part of the western United States and the mountain west. The capital and largest city is Phoenix...
until resigning on May 19, 2008 .
Loeffler was born in Fredericksburg
Fredericksburg, Texas
Fredericksburg is the seat of Gillespie County, in the U.S. state of Texas. As of the 2010 Census estimate, the city had a population of 10, 530...
in the heart of the Texas Hill Country
Texas Hill Country
The Texas Hill Country is a vernacular term applied to a region of Central Texas featuring tall rugged hills consisting of thin layers of soil atop limestone or granite. It also includes the Llano Uplift and the second largest granite monadnock in the United States, Enchanted Rock, which is located...
and attended school in Mason
Mason, Texas
Mason is the seat of Mason County, Texas, United States. The town is an agricultural community on Comanche Creek southwest of Mason Mountain, on the Edwards Plateau and part of the Llano Uplift. The population was 2,114 at the 2010 census.-History:...
, the seat of Mason County
Mason County, Texas
Mason County is a county located on the Edwards Plateau in the U.S. state of Texas. In 2010, its population was 4, 012. Its county seat is Mason...
. He earned B.B.A. and a Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor
Juris Doctor is a professional doctorate and first professional graduate degree in law.The degree was first awarded by Harvard University in the United States in the late 19th century and was created as a modern version of the old European doctor of law degree Juris Doctor (see etymology and...
degrees from the University of Texas at Austin
University of Texas at Austin
The University of Texas at Austin is a state research university located in Austin, Texas, USA, and is the flagship institution of the The University of Texas System. Founded in 1883, its campus is located approximately from the Texas State Capitol in Austin...
. In 1971, after just one year of private practice, he was hired by the U.S. Department of Commerce. Republican Senator John Tower
John Tower
John Goodwin Tower was the first Republican United States senator from Texas since Reconstruction. He served from 1961 until his retirement in January 1985, after which time he was the chairman of the Reagan-appointed Tower Commission that investigated the Iran-Contra Affair. He was George H. W...
made Loeffler his chief counsel in 1972. Two years later, he became a deputy for the Department of Energy
United States Department of Energy
The United States Department of Energy is a Cabinet-level department of the United States government concerned with the United States' policies regarding energy and safety in handling nuclear material...
.
Loeffler was a legislative assistant to U.S. President Gerald Ford
Gerald Ford
Gerald Rudolph "Jerry" Ford, Jr. was the 38th President of the United States, serving from 1974 to 1977, and the 40th Vice President of the United States serving from 1973 to 1974...
from 1975 to 1977. He successfully ran for Congress in 1978 and was a delegate to all three Republican National Conventions in the 1980s. After four terms in the House, he stepped down to run for governor of Texas, but lost a hardfought Republican primary to eventual winner Bill Clements
Bill Clements
William Perry "Bill" Clements, Jr. was the 42nd and 44th Governor of Texas, serving from 1979 to 1983 and 1987 to 1991. Clements was the first Republican to have served as governor of the U.S. state of Texas since Reconstruction...
. Another losing contender was former U.S. Representative Kent Hance
Kent Hance
Kent "The Hancellor" Ronald Hance is a lobbyist and lawyer who was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives from West Texas, having served from 1979 to 1985...
, who had defeated George W. Bush
George W. Bush
George Walker Bush is an American politician who served as the 43rd President of the United States, from 2001 to 2009. Before that, he was the 46th Governor of Texas, having served from 1995 to 2000....
for Congress in 1978 in the Lubbock
Lubbock, Texas
Lubbock is a city in and the county seat of Lubbock County, Texas, United States. The city is located in the northwestern part of the state, a region known historically as the Llano Estacado, and the home of Texas Tech University and Lubbock Christian University...
-based district. After his congressional career, Loeffler was appointed to the Office of Legislative Affairs as the coordinator for Central America
Central America
Central America is the central geographic region of the Americas. It is the southernmost, isthmian portion of the North American continent, which connects with South America on the southeast. When considered part of the unified continental model, it is considered a subcontinent...
n policies.
In 1989, Loeffler became a University of Texas administrator. Loeffler currently works in Washington, D.C as a lobbyist with Gray Loeffler LLC representing clients including the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. Like Loeffler, Clements also is active in the McCain presidential campaign.
Loeffler is the father of current Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings are a professional American football team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The Vikings joined the National Football League as an expansion team in 1960...
and former University of Texas long snapper
Long snapper
In American football and Canadian football, the term long snapper refers to a player who is a specialized center during punts, field goals, and extra point attempts. His job is to snap the ball as quickly and accurately as possible....
Cullen Loeffler
Cullen Loeffler
Cullen Crawford Loeffler is an American football long snapper for the Minnesota Vikings of the National Football League. He was signed by the Vikings as an undrafted free agent in 2004. He played college football for the Texas Longhorns.-Early years:Loeffler attended Ingram Tom Moore High School...
.